LETTERS TO GRAMPS

by Ed Riley & friends copyright 2002

ENTRY 1

Gramps,

I know I haven't written to you in a while, I'm sorry. I'd say I have been too busy, but that would just be an excuse. Without John and raising Meg by myself, I just haven't known what to say, life is a bit confusing for me.

Meg's grades and school are back where they should be, but it took a while. Her soccer season is done, thank God. Her coach was really ignorant. Between him yelling and occasionally cursing, 4th grade soccer wasn't that much fun for her. The only good thing was that she did make a few new friends.

I signed her up to play basketball a few weeks ago. Yesterday I got a phone call saying that they are sorry but they don't have enough coaches, so Meg and 7 other little girls won't get to play. Meg needs some physical activity to help keep her mind off of John, so I volunteered to coach them. You and I both know I wasn't very good in high school, but at least I made the team and know the rules, that's a start.

Tomorrow I will go to the library and try to find something for beginning coaches. Gramps, I just want Meg and the girls to have fun and not lose every game. I don't want to be a jerk like her soccer coach was. I want it to be fun for them, and to tell you the truth, I'm hoping to have a little fun myself, I could use it.

ENTRY 2

Gramps,

Meg told me to tell you hi, and that she was thinking of you. Meg is still doing fine in school and she gets to do a solo for the school choir. I'm so proud of her and I hope you are too. I let her have 3 friends over for a slumber party and they didn't even tear up the house, much! I think she is getting use to the idea that's it's just the 2 of us here.

You have got to hear about this basketball coaches meeting. I got a phone call telling me to be at this meeting at 7:30 and we were going to choose teams. I get there at 7:20 only to find out that the meeting was at 7:00, not 7:30 like they told me. The other 2 4th grade coaches had already chosen their teams and I got the leftovers. I could hear them talking in the corner about how the "Broad got the dregs!" I was so furious!!! I think they told me to come later on purpose.

Gramps, these are little girls who just want to play a game, they are not DREGS! I have made up my mind that we are going to have the most fun team in the league. I will have more pizza parties and special things for them and we will have fun. I don't know how many games we will win, if any, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FUN! And I would really like to beat these 2 macho coaches, but time will tell.

I know you are the internet king, so if you could find me some help with coaching, I would dearly love it. The library has stuff for more advanced teams, not for beginners. Gotta go pack Meg's lunch for school. Thanks for listening

ENTRY 3

Gramps,

Guess what? Meg has to have braces. She's got 2 fangs that need to be pulled down and the rest straightened. She picked out a bright green color for the part that you see when she smiles. I hope it doesn't look like she hasn't brushed her teeth and has peas stuck in between her teeth.

Thanks for the coaching internet sites you sent me. I just started surfing them and a couple of them have given me some great ideas. Practice starts next week and I'll let you know how it goes. I did find one that made me feel better about what I am doing and it's not one of the ones you gave me. See, I can do some things on my own. I'm getting to be quite the hi-tech, very with it, mom. I copy and pasted it for you. Every time I feel like I'm crazy for coaching, I read it. It let's me know other people are just as crazy as I am.

ODE TO A YOUTH COACH

BY ED RILEY COPYRIGHT 2001

It was too cold to swim

On a cold autumn's day

But not cold enough

For a horse or a sleigh.

My daughter was bored

Her soccer was through

4th graders get bored

I guess I was too.

I checked the sports calender

And what should appear

But basketball sign ups

Round ball's time of year.

I talked to my daughter

Explained all I could

Bout offense and defense

And she decided she should.

So basketball it was

Basketball it'd be

Her bored time would end

Now her free time's not free.

Filled out the forms

Till I saw the last sentence

"Would you like to Coach?"

That would be like a pentence.

I like to watch sports

When kids jump and they run

But coaching didn't sound

Like a whole lot of fun.

So I checked the "no" box

Almost handed it in

When a nagging lil doubt

Pricked like a pin.

What if no one stepped up

On this last sign up day

Without a coach

The kids couldn't play.

So back to my seat

The form in my hand

With visions of me

The worst coach in the land.

Did I want to coach

Certainly not

My lack of knowledge

Would surely be caught.

Then I thought of my daughter

Being bored and forlorned

Rather than smiling

In a new uniform.

I'll do it I thought

I'll do it right now

I'll mark the box "Yes"

And muddle through it somehow.

Then a terrible thought

Occurred with a blink

What would my wife say

What would she think.

I work 60 hours,

A week I would say

Had very little time

With the family to play.

My time with my wife

Would even be less

Who knows what she'd think

Is anyone's guess.

With my box still checked "No"

I handwrote this in

"If no one else volunteers

Go ahead, count me in."

I turned the form in

And ran for the door

Before I could think

and confuse myself more.

My form was turned in

My decision was made

Please have enough coaches

Is all that I prayed.

I told my wife

All about it that night

She laughed and she laughed

Imagining the sight.

Me on the bench

Geesh, what a sight

Lost and confused

A basketball blight.

"You, coaching kids,

Give me a break, please.

Coaching young girls

With shorts past their knees.

And what will you do

Should someone get hurt

Or when boys come round

And decide to flirt.

I now knew I'd gotten

Myself in a mess

I heard my wife laugh

"I hope they say yes!"

Please have enough coaches

Is all I that I prayed

Please have enough coaches

And my year would be made.

The next day passed

Without a phone call

I started to think

They don't need me at all.

The next night was coach's night

When coaches picked their teams

They didn't need me

It felt like a dream.

At least I'd made sure

Every girl had a team

I felt good bout myself

And even serene.

Mama in her kerchief

And I in my cap

Had just settled down

For a well deserved nap.

I had just started dreaming

Of White X-Mas and Bing

When I woke to the sound

of the telephone ring.

Who would call me

So late at night

My blood was boiling

I was ready to fight.

I answered the phone

And heard a gruff voice

"Coach, you are ...

The athletic committees choice.

At the very last second

We had a coach back out

For your daughter's grade

We have 8 girls without.

We noticed you put

on the bottom of your ap

If a team were without

You'd wear a coach's cap."

The rest is history

The coach's cap handed off

I never said a word

Not even a cough.

The years have passed

The first a disaster

Each following year

Was better thereafter.

Did I do the right thing

You will certainly ask

You won't know till you hear

A voice from the past.

"Coach" is the word

You haven't heard in a while

You turn, there's an ex-player

Wearing a smile.

She played for you

Maybe 15 years back

The years come and go

It's hard to keep track.

"I thought it was you, Coach

How have you been

I hope you remember me

My name's Betty Lynn!"

Betty Lynn, Betty Lynn,

The memories returned

A scrawny little girl

Who just wanted to learn.

The 2 of you stand there

And just reminisce

About days gone by

And how they are missed.

She tells of her life

Says the goods things that came,

Are owed in part

To you and the game.

She says thank-you, thank-you,

Thank-you so much

She is a life

That you've truly touched.

Did I make the right choice

So long ago

Did I make the right choice

I truly think so!